Kage Tadman (228) takes a
victory lap at Ventura Raceway
during Round 4. [Photo: American
Flat Track / Scott Hunter]
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(September 8, 2025) –
The earliest signs that a rookie
wave was about to hit the 2025 AFT
Singles presented by KICKER class
registered as barely more than a
ripple.
The Progressive American
Flat Track DAYTONA
double season opener was meant
to serve as a glorified
torch-passing ceremony, with
three-time reigning class champ Kody
Kopp – who was
preparing to embark on a
roadracing career – slated to
hand the reins over to his
dueling heir apparents, Tom
Drane and Chase
Saathoff.
Instead, Kopp used the
opportunity to clock a pair of
extended victory laps, adding
two more wins to his all-time
class record before tossing said
torch into the dirt for Drane
and Saathoff to scrap over in
his absence.
Nearly lost to that bright
spotlight was the performance of
Lucky Thumb M/C’s Ethan
Kitchen, who managed to
sneak into the bottom of the top
ten in his debut weekend.
The wave next hit not just like
a tsunami, but one of historic
proportions.
Beachside Ventura Raceway served
as a scenic backdrop framing the
raw brilliance of Kage
Tadman, who set the
scene alight with a dominant
victory in his very first
attempt.
Very few riders had managed that
in the history of the class. And
no one had ever done what he
would do days later – repeat the
remarkable feat at Silver Dollar
Speedway.
In doing so, Tadman set the
stage for what has proved to be
an unusually impactful rookie
class.
Read the complete story
and 2025 Singles Rookie
breakdown
HERE.
